TPU materials offer eco-friendly options in making the advanced tubes and hoses

February 26,2021
PVC brings many conveniences to our lives because it is cheap and convenient to manufacture; however, it also seriously threatens our environment and health. PVC is called "toxic plastic" by the International Greenpeace Organization because it not only adds toxic substances but even affect the entire life cycle. From raw material mining, manufacturing, consumption and use, to the final stage of disposal, it causes harm to the environment and human health.  At present, many countries are gradually banning PVC products, and TPU materials have the potential to replace PVC.
 

Which industries can TPU tubes and hoses were used in?

TPU materials have been widely applied to daily life, food, medical treatment, fire protection, industry, agriculture, fishery and so on. So far, industrial tubes and hoses are still mostly PVC. But due to environmental protection regulations, durability and various needs of advanced industries, the trend of TPU replacing PVC as a high-end application material is gradually increasing. Industrial tubes and hoses such as fracking hoses, fire hoses, pneumatic tubes, oil/water pipeline and garden irrigation pipes have all begun to use TPU materials for improvement.
 
TPU materials for tubes and hoses can be divided into polyester type and polyether type. Polyether type TPU has the advantages of toughness, high elasticity, impact resistance, hydrolysis resistance and low temperature resistance, while polyester type TPU has good tensile strength, good flexibility, abrasion resistance, solvent resistance, high temperature resistance and not easy to oxidize.
 

Pneumatic Tubes

The pneumatic tube which is made of TPU has the characteristics of high pressure resistance, abrasion resistance, high elasticity, small bending radius and good flexibility. It is suitable for assembling various pneumatic tools, pneumatic automation machinery, air compressors, and connecting various pneumatic components. TPU material is ideal for use in pneumatic tubes with additive manufacturing, semiconductors, machine tools and automotive industry.
                          

►TPU for pneumatic tube (polyester type)                 【More product information】 【Contact us】

Item

Hardness
(shore A/D)

100%
Modulus

(MPa)

300%
Modulus

(MPa)

Tensile
Strength

(MPa)

Elongation
at Break

(%)

EB-85AR1

85±2A

8.3

 14.7

 32.4

380

EB-90A

90±2A

9.8

22.6

29.4 320

EB-95A

95±2A

12.7

27.5

33.3 350

EB-98A

98±2A

16.7

29.4

37.3 350

EB-98AH

54±2D

17.7

37.8

48.1 500


►TPU for pneumatic tube (polyether type)                 【More product information】 【Contact us】

Item

Hardness
(shore A/D)

100%
Modulus

(MPa)

300%
Modulus

(MPa)

Tensile
Strength

(MPa)

Elongation
at Break

(%)

ER-85A

85±2A

6.9

 14.7

 29.4

500

ER-90A

90±2A

7.8

17.7

31.4 450

ER-95A

95±2A

14.7

23.5

28.4 300

ER-98AO

96±2A

15.3

31.6

40.8 450

ER-98A

98±2A

15.7

25

30.4 450
ER-62D 60±2D 17.7 26.5 36.3 400


Reinforced Hose

Polyurethane Braided Hose

The braided hoses are reinforced with a high strength braid and a layer of flexible TPU to provide a strong structural support for the entire tube and further improving the pressure resistance. It is suitable for conveying high-pressure air, oil or liquid under severe working conditions, and can be used in industrial conveying powder or granular materials in/out pipelines. The braided hose has the characteristics of abrasion resistance, light weight, insulation, high and low temperature resistance, and long service life.

                          

Polyurethane Hose Reinforced with Steel Wire

Polyurethane hose reinforced with steel wire can be divided into industrial and food grade. It is mainly used for dust collection, exhaust gas discharge, transportation of chemical raw materials/powder/particles, vacuum injection of water/oil and other substances. The body of tube is flexible, resistant to distortion, strong load capacity, resistance to positive and negative pressure, high temperature resistance, hydrolysis resistance and not easy to deform.

                            
(Image: Flexaust)

►TPU for braided hose                                            【More product information】 【Contact us】

Item

Hardness
(shore A/D)

100%
Modulus

(MPa)

300%
Modulus

(MPa)

Tensile
Strength

(MPa)

Elongation
at Break

(%)

EX-80A

80±2A

4.9

 8.3

 29.4

800

EX-85A

85±2A

6.4

8.8

22.6 600

EX-90A

90±2A

6.9

10.8

31.4 550

EX-95A

95±2A

10.8

16.7

33.3 450

EX-98A

98±2A

13.7

19.6

37.3 400
EX-62D 62±2D 21.1 32.4 32.4 300
 

Gardening Water Pipes

The irrigation pipe, made of environmentally friendly TPU material, can make organic planting reach real organic. Compared with traditional PVC pipes, polyether type TPU garden water pipes are lighter in weight, and have excellent hydrolysis resistance, good weather resistance, high antibacterial properties, and no release of toxic substances. It is suitable for gardens, flower gardens, vegetable gardens, lawns and forests. Outdoor planting can greatly reduce labor costs and effectively improve maintenance efficiency.
                              


►TPU for gardening water pipes                                【More product information】 【Contact us】

Item

Hardness
(shore A/D)

100%
Modulus

(MPa)

300%
Modulus

(MPa)

Tensile
Strength

(MPa)

Elongation
at Break

(%)

ER-80A

80±2A

5.9

 11.8

 27.5

550

ER-85A

85±2A

6.9

17.7

29.4 500

ER-85A8

88±2A

7.4

19.6

31.4 400

ER-90A

90±2A

7.8

14.7

31.4 450
 

Fracking Hoses

The large-caliber, positive-pressure delivery hose used in shale oil and gas exploitation is mainly used to transport long-distance, high-flow fracturing water and fracturing sand in mountainous areas. It can be flat coiled to adapt to different topography and solve the problem of difficult to transport water resources.
 
The inner and outer layers are made of TPU material and are co-extruded with high-strength polyester fiber. The maximum working pressure can reach 30 kg, and it has the characteristics of outstanding abrasion resistance, high pressure resistance, aging resistance, chemical resistance, good weather resistance.
                   
▲Fracking Hoses  (Image: ASOE Hose)
                   
▲Flat hoses and reel  (Ima:ASOE Hose )
 

Fire Hoses

There are many varieties of fire hoses, materials such as rubber, PVC, TPU, etc. The basic structure includes five parts: fabric layer, lining, coating, covering layer and adhesive layer, which are used to transport high-pressure water or foam and other flame retardant liquids.
 
TPU is an advanced polyurethane material that has many characteristics of rubber and plastic and has excellent comprehensive performance. However, due to the high cost of raw materials, most of the equipment relies on imports, and it was not promoted until the late 1990s. At present, the fire brigade has generally been equipped with TPU fire hoses, and many industrial and mining enterprises, petrochemical oil depots, ship terminals, and high-end buildings have also begun to use them in large quantities.

                          

►TPU for fracking hoses and fire hoses                    【More product information】 【Contact us】

Item

Hardness
(shore A/D)

100%
Modulus

(MPa)

300%
Modulus

(MPa)

Tensile
Strength

(MPa)

Elongation
at Break

(%)

ER-8315S

85±2A

6.9

 16.7

 31.4

500

ER-88AS

88±2A

7.4

19.6

31.4 400
 

TPU materials for a sustainable future

TPU is a 100% recyclable environmentally friendly material. Its excellent characteristics can completely replace toxic PVC, even better than PVC. With the continuous improvement of environmental protection standards in various countries, TPU has been widely used in clothing, automobiles, sports goods, electronics and other products. With great market potential, especially in the material’s selection of plastic tube, it is also currently recognized as a green and environmentally friendly material.
 
We launched special TPU materials for tubes and hoses, including polyester type TPU and polyether type TPU, which can be widely used in various tubes, fire hoses, wires and cables, etc. The full range of products can replace PVC tubes and create a sustainable competitive advantage. For more product information, please【contact us】.


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